Production
Bean-to-Bar confectioner scales up operation with new Chocolate Grinding Circulation Attritor
Chocolate Creations features a 3,000-square-foot incubation factory where different types of chocolate can be designed and formulated, from bean to bar.
The bean-to-bar process requires a great deal of fine tuning and a delicate touch. Seemingly small details can make a big difference in the finished chocolate products, such as which plantations the cocoa beans come from, how finely the beans are ground, the roasting temperature, and when ingredients are added during the process.
“We’re particularly proud of the relationship with Chocolate Creations because it underscores the type of partnerships we like to form with our clients,” said Chuck Major, sales manager for Union Process.
“We don’t just provide a piece of state-of-the-art machinery and leave, we work with them each step of the way to help ensure the entire production process comes on line as it should and reaches its full potential.”
Scott Huckestein, co-founder, president and CEO of Chocolate Creations, described the importance of adding the Q2 Attritor to the production process. “We can perfect small batches and then scale them up and produce large quantities with extremely consistent characteristics,” he said. “We can take it from an eight-pound batch to an 800-pound batch, and on and on.”
Huckestein is not new to the bean-to-bar process, but said the Q2 has made an enormous difference in Chocolate Creations production capabilities. “Our Q2 is front and center in our incubation factory. It’s basically an entire bean-to-bar chocolate factory within a space of eight feet, as opposed to having many different pieces of equipment in different places.”
The Q2 Attritor is powered by a 5-HP motor with a variable frequency drive (VFD). It features a 2.6-gallon grinding tank, 2.2-gallon media volume capacity, and holding tank capacity of 10 gallons. High pumping rates result in faster grinding and narrow particle size distribution, while jacketed grinding and holding tanks help maintain consistent temperatures.
